Historical Imagery

One of the great features of Google Earth 7 is the ability to go back through imagery.

Las Vegas 1950 - 2013

To view historical imagery, click on the historical imagery button in the top menu:

Historical Imagery button

Once opened, you will see the Historical imagery controls at the top left of the view window:

Historical Imagery controls

Drag the slider back to dates and you will see the imagery change. The date will be reflected above the slider. 

Some considerations:

1. All available imagery is shown. Gaps in the points on the slider represent gaps in data collection.

No data between lines

2. Different locations have different dates available. Less populated areas usually have fewer updates. 

More data (Las Vegas, NV)

Less data (Grand Junction, CO)

3. You can zoom into the slider to see dates better. Click the magnifying glass to zoom in and out on the slider.

Default

Zoomed in

3. You can save images and create movies with the Historical Imagery on. Any images or movies recorded will show the imagery that you see. 

4.If you put a Placemark down when Historical Imagery is on, the date will be saved into the Placemark data. When you click on the Placemark, you will go back to the date that was set when you put the Placemark down. 

5. The KML for this looks like this:

<LookAt>

<gx:TimeStamp><when>1977-06-03</when>

                        </gx:TimeStamp>

<gx:ViewerOptions>

<gx:option name="historicalimagery"></gx:option>

<gx:option enabled="0" name="sunlight"></gx:option>

<gx:option enabled="0" name="streetview"></gx:option>

</gx:ViewerOptions>

<longitude>-115.147103321128</longitude>

<latitude>36.08806209715931</latitude>

<altitude>0</altitude>

<heading>0.05389244667819181</heading>

<tilt>0</tilt>

<range>16323.02207739547</range>

<gx:altitudeMode>relativeToSeaFloor</gx:altitudeMode>

</LookAt>